4-1-1. 
The town administrator shall be appointed by the select board for a 3-year term; shall be the administrative officer of the town; and shall be responsible to the select board for the administration of all town affairs placed in their charge by or under the charter. The town administrator shall be a person especially fitted by education, training or previous experience to perform the duties of the office. The town administrator shall be a person especially fitted by education, which shall consist of not less than a bachelor's degree from an accredited degree-granting college or university and a minimum of 7 years of professional experience that shall include previous, full-time, compensated service in a managerial capacity in public or business administration.
4-1-2. 
The town administrator shall not need to be a resident of the town.
4-1-3. 
The town administrator shall hold no elected or other appointed town office, except in an ex officio capacity; shall devote full time to the duties of the office; and shall engage in no other business or occupation without the advance written authorization of the select board.
4-1-4. 
The town administrator shall not be eligible for appointment until not less than 12 months after the last date of service in an elected office in the town government.
4-2-1. 
The town administrator shall appoint and may remove, subject to civil service law or sections 42 to 44, inclusive, of chapter 48 of the General Laws, where applicable, all department heads, all officers and all subordinates and employees of the town except for employees of the school committee and library trustees, appointments made by representatives of the commonwealth and those appointments for which another method of appointment is provided in the General Laws, in this charter or in the town by-laws. Appointments made by the town administrator shall take effect 15 days after notification to the select board unless such board votes prior to such time to reject or approve such appointment.
4-2-2. 
The town administrator shall direct and supervise the administration of all functions under their control.
4-2-3. 
The town administrator shall prepare and submit the annual capital budget and capital outlay program as provided in section 4 of article 6 of this charter.
4-2-4. 
The town administrator shall attend all regular and special meetings of the select board, unless excused at the select board's own request, and shall have a voice, but no vote, in all select board discussions.
4-2-5. 
The town administrator shall attend all sessions of the town meetings and answer all questions directed to the town manager by the voters of the town.
4-2-6. 
The town administrator shall see that all provisions of the General Laws, the charter, by-laws and votes of the town meeting and of the select board that require enforcement by the town administrator or officers subject to the town manager's direction and supervision are faithfully carried out.
4-2-7. 
The town administrator shall administer all provisions of the general and special laws applicable to the town, to the charter, to the by-laws and votes of the town and all rules and regulations made by the select board that lie within the scope of the powers and duties of the office.
4-2-8. 
The town administrator shall negotiate all contracts involving any subject within the jurisdiction of the office of town administrator, including contracts with employees involving wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment contracts with employees, but excluding employees of the school department, the director of the public library and other professional librarians.
4-2-9. 
 
(a) 
The town administrator shall have full jurisdiction over the rental and use of all town facilities, except schools, library and properties designated by by-law or other vote of the town. The town administrator shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of all town property, excluding school buildings and library, unless otherwise agreed to by the town administrator place under their control by the charter, by by-law or otherwise.
(b) 
The town administrator shall be responsible for the keeping of full and complete records of the financial and administrative activities of the town and shall render a full report to the select board at the end of each fiscal year and otherwise as said board may require.
(c) 
As required by the uniform procurement act in chapter 30B of the General Laws, the town administrator or designee shall be the certified procurement officer responsible for the purchase of all supplies, materials and equipment, except books and other educational materials for schools and books, supplies, materials, equipment and other media materials for the library, and approve the award of all contracts for all town departments with the exception of the school department and public library, subject to the approval of the select board.
4-2-10. 
The town administrator shall keep full and complete inventory of all property of the town, both real and personal.
4-2-11. 
The town administrator may at any time inquire into the conduct of office of any officer or employee or department under their jurisdiction.
4-2-12. 
The town administrator may delegate to others the administrator's powers and duties under this charter, except as may be prohibited by law and, further, any action taken by a designee authorized hereunder shall be deemed to be the actions of the town administrator.
4-2-13. 
The town administrator shall perform such other duties consistent with the office as may be required by by-law, vote of the town or select board.
4-3-1. 
Temporary Absence. The town administrator shall designate in writing a qualified town administrative officer or employee to exercise the powers and perform the duties of town administrator during a temporary absence and shall file such designation with the town clerk and select board. The select board may not revoke such designation during the absence of the town administrator until not less than 10 working days have elapsed, whereupon it may appoint another qualified town administrative officer or employee to serve until the town administrator shall return. If the town administrator has not made the filing required by this section, in the event of a temporary absence of the town administrator, the select board shall appoint a town administrative officer or employee of its choosing to serve as the temporary town administrator.
4-3-2. 
Any vacancy in the office of the town administrator shall be filled as soon as possible by the select board but, pending such regular appointment the select board shall appoint a qualified administrative officer to perform the duties of the office on an acting basis. Such temporary appointment shall not exceed 3 months, but 1 renewal may be voted by the select board. Compensation for such person shall be set by the select board within the amount appropriated for the town administrator.
4-3-3. 
Powers and duties. The powers of a temporary or acting town administrator serving under sections 4-3-1 and 4-3-2, respectively, shall be limited to matters which should not be delayed and shall include authority to make temporary, emergency appointments or designations to town office or employment but not to make permanent appointments or designations. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if the select board concludes at a properly posted open meeting that the best interests of the town require a permanent appointment or designation to be made, it may, at its sole discretion, authorize a temporary or acting town administrator, following consultation with the select board, to make a permanent appointment or designation, or to itself make the permanent appointment or designation.
4-4-1. 
The select board may for cause, by the affirmative vote of 4 of its members, terminate and remove or suspend, the town administrator from office in accordance with the procedures outlined in this section.
The select board shall adopt a preliminary resolution of removal by the affirmative vote of 4 members which must state the reason or reasons for removal. This preliminary resolution may suspend the town administrator for a period not to exceed 45 days. A copy of the resolution shall be delivered to the town administrator forthwith.
Within 5 days after receipt of the preliminary resolution the town administrator may request a public hearing by filing a written request for such hearing with the select board. This hearing shall be held at a meeting of the select board not later than 30 days after the request is filed nor earlier than 20 days. The town administrator may file a written statement responding to the reasons stated in the resolution of removal with the select board provided the same is received at its office more than 48 hours in advance of the public hearing.
The select board may adopt a final resolution of removal, which may be made effective immediately, by the affirmative vote of 4 of its members, not less than 10 nor more than 21 days following the date of delivery of a copy of the preliminary resolution to the town administrator, if the town administrator has not requested a public hearing; or within 10 days following the close of the public hearing if the town administrator has requested one. Failure to adopt a final resolution of removal within the time periods as provided in this section shall nullify the preliminary resolution of removal and the town administrator shall at the expiration of said time, forthwith resume the duties of the office.
4-4-2. 
The action of the select board in suspending or removing the town administrator shall be final and all authority and responsibility for such suspension or removal shall be vested and fixed solely in the select board.
4-5-1. 
The town administrator shall have the authority to appoint all technical and operational positions of the town, and other such positions as may be created by the General Laws, by this charter, by by-law or by vote of the town. A listing of appointments made by the town administrator shall be set forth in a document on file with the select board and the town clerk, which document shall be updated from time to time as required.
4-6-1. 
If a conflict relating to a policy issue arises between the town administrator and a department head, the department head may appeal the town administrator's decision to the select board. The select board shall act as arbitrator between the department head and the town administrator and shall resolve the conflict regarding policy. The select board's decision on policy shall be final and binding on both the town administrator and the department head.